Tribute64 Vs. Brawler64: Which is the better modern Nintendo 64 controller?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 พ.ค. 2024
- I bought a pair of newly designed Nintendo 64 controllers. Let's test them both out on original hardware and see what are each's strengths and weaknesses.
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It's important to remember that these can't make Super Mario 64 control like Super Mario Odyssey. But if you don't like the feel of the N64's stock controller, you may like the more modern design choices put into each of these.
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Intro - 0:00
Bad 3rd party controllers - 1:17
Unboxings - 1:55
Accessory fittings - 4:00
Stock controller game play test - 4:52
Tribute64 game play tests - 5:28
Brawler64 game play tests - 7:41
Full Impressions/Controller differences - 8:44
Declaring a victor - 9:55
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Music Credits:
Opening - Super Mario 64
Bravissimo! - Pilotwings 64
Hang Gliding - Pilotwings 64
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As someone who owns both a Brawler 64 Wireless and a Tribute 64, the Brawler 64's analog stick comes surprisingly close to the original stick despite being convex imo. The Tribute 64's, while still great, can be sensitive and has issues tilting diagonally.
Nice video! I've used a GameCube controller via an adapter from Raphnet on my N64 for several years but these look like decent options
Thanks James! I appreciate you checking it out. The biggest reason I bought these controllers is because I thought the price was very reasonable, even less than the controller adapter. I never intended to make a video about them, but I was running out of time and needed something I could put together pretty quickly. It was fun to make (and it gave me an excuse to play with them right away) and I think I did okay, even though I don't prefer to make review type videos too much. I just don't think I have a better or more insightful opinion than anyone else.
Great review, and good to know you had a lot positive to say about the Tribute. I ordered a Tribute some time ago and still waiting for it to be delivered so that kind of uplifts my spirits on that decision.
Thanks! I was surprised by my findings, that's for sure. But they are both really quite good. I hope you receive your controller soon!
Thanks for the review I’m stuck between both controllers also for my n64
Great video and comparison - Over the years I have tried different controllers for the N64, but no controller out there can beat the origional for precision and control.
(It's the reason I've collected many with excellent sticks and even have a couple of new ones! - The closest to the origional is the hori mini pad - the analogue sticks on that feels 1:1 with the original, but, it's unusable due to its tiny size, I don't have big hands and sold mine because of how small and uncomfortable it is!
The replacement gamecube style sticks for the original controller are always too sensitive (ok with some games not with others).
The tribute was designed to be like the hori mini pad but it was made bigger to be more comfortable and it is - I have 4 of these controllers and they are really good, but the sensitivity of the analogue is not quite as good as the original or the hori mini pad, it's not far off and it's a great controller but still to this day nothing can beat any excellent condition origional controller!! - unfortunately!
The Turbo function was a life saver in Shadows of the Empire. Wish I could find my box of old N64 gear so I could find my old aftermarket controller. I think it was a Mad Katz but I'm not totally sure.
Great video! thanks for sharing. I am considering the options here.
Thank you for checking it out. I'm not able to be as technical as other reviewers, but I hope I brought a worthwhile 'typical user' perspective.
Very nice review, seems like everything one needs to know to make a decision. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you so much.
What I don't like about the Tribute 64, is that the D-Pad is too close to the A & B buttons.
Makes it difficult to play games that use the D-pad... Other than that it's a great controller.
Haven't tried the Brawler 64 yet.
Cool video. I love the HORI MiniPad, and I also think the new wireless Brawler64 is excellent. It's good we have some choices.
Yes I agree. I bought mine just before the wireless ones released, but I don't mind wires on retro controllers anyway.
Also, for people with only one hand to use like myself, it's easier to use controllers with a more modern design. It's impossible to get to the z button on the original controller if you're playing with one hand.
That's a good point. I'm glad accessibility is taken more seriously on modern hardware. And it's good that these put the Z trigger in a easier to access spot.
Only one hand to use? Is one of you're arms amputated?
@@itadapeeza8559 Naw, I had a stroke when I was 11 and lost dexterity in my right hand. About the only thing my right arm is useful for is holding things against my chest. It's almost like having a mitten on that you can't take off.
@@paynepersons6147 holy shit that's horrible. Im sorry. That's so cool that you still play video games tho!! Can you tell me what sort of games do you play? I can only think of shmups working with one hand. (I play a lot of them)
I might be misunderstanding how many games require the use of two hands.
My uncle is a big gamer, he's completely death in both ears and shakes a lot due to Parkinson's but he still kicks my ass in any mario karts battle mode haha
@@itadapeeza8559 There is a way way to use modern controllers with one hand. It's janky as hell but it works. And for my PC gaming needs I use a mouse with 17 buttons. I can play most things. Even VR, valve was kind enough to put in a one handed mode for Half Life: Alyx.
Thanks for the info. I’ve been looking for a controller similar to the Interact Superpad, and these fit the bill. That was a great controller for the N64.
The biggest problem I’ve experienced with third party controllers is the D-pad. Nothing is more frustrating than playing Street Fighter 2 with an inaccurate D-pad. Thanks for the new content, always looking forward to your next video.
I'm glad a spent some time testing out the D-pads. A lot of N64 games barely use it, but for the ones that do I know I'll probably avoid the Tribute. That Dr. Mario footage actually kind of ticked me off! That was real gameplay of me expecting to beat the stage only for the pieces to suddenly scoot sideways!
@@TopSpot123 I enjoy using the Brawler, it was perfect for RE2. Hopefully, we’ll see a wireless version of the Brawler sometime in the near future.
@@playmooregames371 Yeah, apparently they just had their wireless Kickstarter succeed just a little over a week ago.
@@TopSpot123 That’s awesome. Thank you for letting me know.
Great video 👍👍. I was hoping to see you review both controllers while playing Super Smash Bros. Which controller would you recommend for Smash?
I recommend you stop playing vanilla smash 64 and download smash remix NOW!!!
Just got the ultra limited edition wireless Tribute64, waiting for the ultra limited edition wireless brawler64. Gonna compare them once they are here!
After all these years, which one is better brother??? I’m trying to get my hands on one but idk which one…
Brawler for me
I’ve played GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64 with the Retrobrawler 64 and I’ve gotta say I love that controller. What actually keeps me stuck on the Control level in Agent 00 is the stupid gun sway, but it’s because of the game and has nothing to do with the controller. Also if you try playing that game today you’ll notice how hard it is to spot enemies. Tip: if you only really want to play GoldenEye 007, give the new Xbox version a chance. I really enjoyed it and managed to finish it on Agent 00 while also getting all the cheats.
I bought three of the brawler 64 controllers, green (wired v2), smoke (wireless), and blue. (Wireless).
The Brawler 64 is the best N64 controller, hands down.
might I ask whats wrong with the tribute?
@@Yipper64 its way too damn small. I like way the stick feels, buttons feel great too, but it cramps up my hands.
@@ltsJoeMama mine developed drifting in just a year. How's yours now?
For me the retrobit is better (still working great).
Which one plays better for Goldeneye? I’m replaying it for the first time in 20 years and I have some Chinese controller that’s why too sensitive. I’m actually having problems with all the games I have because of it
i gave the brawler my money back when it started on kickstarter, then after month it finally came. i played one game with it and was so dissapointed! i still prefer the original controller, but with a gamecube analog stick! the tribute64 controller looks more promising
Which third party controller replicates the original responsiveness of the stock control stick the best? Are readings more accurate while using these with a usb converter or just getting the usb versions of these controllers because I just intend on playing the games on an emulator so the weird button mapping probably wouldn't be an issue to me.
I know this is 4 months later, but the wireless versions of both these controllers should have sticks that are close to that of the N64's responsiveness. The wireless version of the Brawler64 wasn't originally as accurate, but I think current production runs are based on some more recent test videos I've seen. I don't know if the wired ones have been similarly updated, but it's possible.
Any further difference in responsiveness would likely be due to the shape of the sticks. The original N64 control stick is fairly tall (from its stick box), which helps with making small, precise movements. In my opinion though, that's not super relevant for most N64 games, and is not worth the fragility of the original N64 stick.
I own almost every 3rd party N64 controller. The Brawler is my least favorite. Not because its the worst though. Because I thought it was going to finally be the perfect solution (N64 Controller Messiah). It's not. Thanks for pointing out some of its little flaws in this video. Finally someone said something about this thing. This is a really good/ fair look at both controllers and I second your opinion. the tribute edges the brawler out, but there is still no perfect option.
I appreciate that. In the end I'm glad I decided to pick up one of each.
what's the best option ?
Do you have any experience with the original HORI minipad? I'm curious if the tribute is a fair replacement for it. I've wanted a HORI for many years but can't bring myself to pull the trigger when they're so expensive
Nope, no personal experience here. But I think others may have made a 1 to 1 comparison, Nintendrew for one I think. But I can confirm the Tribute64 is a good controller for the price. I only paid $22 not counting shipping.
@@TopSpot123 awesome, thanks top! Great reviews too, very informative in ways that I'm actually interested in
@@Blinkoom Thank you for saying so and thanks for checking it out. Greatly appreciated.
Neither one appear to capture the feeling of an N64 controller. I would love to see someone recreate the exact layout and grips of the stick and z trigger prong and right side or the controller and then just add the dpad and L button directly above the stick.
I don't know what this says about me, but my preferred controller is still an OG N64 controller with an aftermarket stick.
Yeah, the Tribute puts more emphasis on the stick than the d-pad. Which I totally get.
You should have tried Perfect Dark or Golden Eye ..so you tell us which controller is worst (because both are extremely sensitive and make those games unplayable)
Oh no! I wish I would have tried them now. Thankfully I still have a couple good stock controllers and I'll mostly just use these for four player party games. I guess four player GoldenEye may be a bit more unfair now!
They're bad. I paid out the ass for a nice OEM stick and tried a klitsch rebuild kit on another.
What's the best N64 usb controller? The official Nintendo one?
How is the control stick sensitivity? Particularly on games like Goldeneye
I didn't have any issues with the games I played, but I didn't check out Goldeneye sadly. Sorry!
for my birthday, I want to get an N64. Not for nostalgia, but because I want to experience the N64 for real. Only thing is im not sure which of these controllers I want to go with, because I dont really want to use the original controller for... Well, somewhat obvious reasons. And so, I think ill find this video helpful.
Good luck choosing! Thank you.
@@TopSpot123 im going for the tribute, I have the USB version and ive loved using it, so getting an N64 version should be good. I already pre-ordered the wireless version but thats going to take a few months to ship out.
I have both, brawler is awesome but analog starts driftin...
I'ma be honest I love the brawler 64 I even moded it to have a GameCube analog and I can roughly say the buttons feel Cheap and unresponsive I bought two of the newest model and I just believe there just cheap so Ima gonna get a Hyperkin Captain N64 And mod it to have OEM Buttons and see if that is a better experience
i have a tribute 64 controller and use it for speed ruing and it is great but the a button wore out in a year and 2 months , i had to bye a new one. my rating would 4 out of 5 or 4.5 out of 5
Has anyone had issues with the receiver dying? Mine was flashing but doesn't respond to any usb port anymore.
Do the memory pack and rumble pack work on it?
Nice opening. It's a bit "cinematic" for the purposes of the video, but it's also nice to see some real effort put into a retro gaming channel, but in a way that it's different from all the other retro channels with higher production value.
I own a Brawler64 Controller and since i mostly play SM64 on mine i cant really play sm64 with it aswell as most other games i think about actually trying a tribute64 controller even tho i love the OG N64 controller the L Trigger is in some sm64 hacks a function so i cant reach it in the og n64 controller
You ever get that tribute64 controller? If so, how does it play with sm64?
@@vAndres49erz I actually bought one recently and it plays alright defently better than with an Brawler64 Controller tho tbh nothing beats an OG N64 Controller
@@RetroDarioGaming I would ask how does it compare to an original Hori mini N64 controller but I'm going to assume you probably never used one of those. Cause, at the moment, I'm using an original Hori mini controller for sm64. I don't like the original n64 controllers. I've always stuck with the hori minis.
@@vAndres49erz i sadly dont own a hori mini pad because theyre pretty rare in germany where i live
Yeah, wireless (hence battery) and gyroscopic sensitivity are a big reason why modern controllers are so expensive.
I don’t like the design of either of them. Im not sure Sin & Punishment would even be playable with the Brawler, and on the Tribute your aiming + movement control would be flipped to opposite thumbs which would be weird.
I could easily see examples where these controller may not be a good fit for every game. But, on the other hand, they are an ok fit for many games. You just need to pick what's right for you.
I wonder why the Transfer Pak is hard to make compatible?
I wonder too? Especially since everything else works fine. Maybe it needs just a little more tech in place and it just isn't worth it for only a couple of games. But who knows.
check out the big brain on Brad!
4:46
I own an original Hori Mini Pad and don't like it at all. I Wonder if the tribute is bigger than the Hori pad since its small size is the main reason I don't like it.
The Brawler 64 is currently the only N64 controller I can stand.
From the information I've seen, the Tribute is very nearly the same size as the Hori pad. But if you don't like the Hori pad, I'd recommend selling it. It's still a very wanted controller by plenty of folks, even some in these comments!
The Tribute has larger buttons (some of them) but they're almost the same size controller when measured.
I own three wireless Brawler 64 controllers at the moment. Although i´m very pleased, i did order three wireless tribute controllers that comes out now in june and july depending on the color. The rumble feature and the new placement of the d-pad plus the analogstick and bigger overall size made it an easy choice. The possibility to play the tribute on the switch and other usb-devices is a bonus. I will keep one brawler though. There are reviews coming very soon of the wireless tribute. Pictures and information are available via madlittlepixel and roxolidproductions for example here on TH-cam.
I find my WIRELESS Brawler to be the perfect N64 controller 😌
I much prefer the Tribute 64.
I personally go for whatever Is cheaper
That's how I got those EA Sports pads...
Well, I got 2 original controllers and 1 knockoff. A couple of Tribute controllers definitely won't hurt.
I honestly just prefer the Brawler 64 Controller...
It's a very good controller. I think I'll be reaching for it for fighting games especially because its D-pad is so good.
@@TopSpot123 Well I own the newer color version too...
It's really great feel in my hands...
I definitely don't. The joystick and the Z buttons are much better on the Tribute. The Brawler has been so hyped to the point they had to actually fix both of those things on the new wireless Brawler controller after people realized they had regrets and complained to Retro Fighter.
The Tribute on the other hand won't need any updates on their wireless. So if anything, buy the wireless Brawler or suffer the original wired version's problems. Or buy any version of the Tribute (wired/wireless) when they do release the wireless eventually.
All I know is the original Brawler can definitely take a hike lol.
I have both and it really depends on the game you're playing. For games that use the analog stick the tribute 64 is the way to go. For games that use the directional pad for movement the brawler is best.
Im looking at the hyperkin Captain. The other one with the d-pad in the center right next to the A/B buttons looks like it would be uncomfortable to use since I play a lot of wrestling games on the 64. Have u gave any thought or had any experience with the captain?
@@myretroworld1121 No I haven't used it.
@@NeverB_Gameover ok bud. Well imma give the captain a try. If not satisfied I'll try retro fighters. I'm pretty used to the og controller. I've played on it since it came out bck in the day.
why on Starfox are you playing so heavily? it's a very subtle analogue range on the N64's stick and especially so with Starfox. You're jerking it about and it gives no indication if the new pad has a good control feel here because you're not using it in a way to know. I'm looking at that and not having any indication at all how accurate the thing. Why are reviewers so ignorant to the vintage hardware
I'm sorry it wasn't up to the standards you expected. This is why I mention at 1:05 that the video was going to be more about first impressions and personal preferences.
@@TopSpot123 not a personal attack on you and I really don't wish to give you a hard time. The trouble with different N64 pads is they are often vey different in how that range is mapped out especially most 3d party so it's nice to see how that range truly handles
To be fair I would guess anyway that even most people that played the N64 weren't entirely understanding to it's subtle detection. Providing of course if it was a good condition one to begin with
best of luck with the channel
Those EA gamepads are the source of covid!!! 😧😧😧
😂
,L + R + Start
Complaining about a controller being light? Low weight is a virtue. Why would you want to fatigue yourself holding something heavier for absolutely no reason?
Then I've given you information that might help you decide. 👍 I'm sorry if it came of as a complaint, it was intended just as commentary and an explanation of my preferences. You can and should have your own. Thanks for watching!
Trim your thumbnails...
Both of these are hot garbage
OK, but can you try again and say something useful?
So is ya moms